Date: 8/5/2009

Page 1 of 2
Modeling Victaulic Fittings with
685 Stockton Drive  Exton, PA 19341
Bentley AutoPIPE Created by:
Mike Dattilio
Tel: (610) 458-5000, www.Bentley.com

The Bentley CAE development team has developed 2 methods of modeling Victaulic fittings using Bentley’s
AutoPIPE stress analysis program. The bases of these modeling approaches was presented in a published
article; “Flexible Coupling: modeling of bi-linear moment rotation relationships in AutoPIPE” by Nasir Zulfiqar
(see attachment, Flexible Coupling_Nasir Zulfiqar.pdf)

Method #1

The 1st method has the following attributes:

 Captures the rotational gapped movement

 Captures axial gapped movement
 Gravity load is transferred across the joint
 Pressure thrust automatically calculated on Anchors with axial expansion joint
 No weights will be considered for the rigid frames, as the weight of the coupling has been defined by
the expansion joint

Bentley visited Victaulic in 1998 and gave a presentation on the use of AutoPIPE to model Victaulic couplings.

The AutoPIPE model for a Victaulic coupling is based on using tie-links, rigid frame members and a flexible
joint.

The orientation of the frame members and tie-links can be in any direction including relative to the local pipe
cords and resulting model gives a bilinear spring rate action where the gaps on the tie-links can be set to
simulate a limit on angular rotation before the spring rate of the tie-link becomes active.

Discussions with the Victaulic people felt this modeling approach reasonable but the only problem was the lack
of bending stiffness data available at that time for Victaulic joints. Bentley cannot provide the exact stiffness
values to be used, recommend contacting Victaulic Engineering Manager

Basic type of construction:

1. Insert a flexible joint with information gathered from Victaulic’s catalog / personnel.
2. On each side of the flexible joint insert 4 rigid beam members (Up, Down, Left, & Right)
3. Connect the far ends of coinciding beam member together with a tie-link support.
 Date: 8/5/2009
Page 2 of 2
Modeling Victaulic Fittings with
685 Stockton Drive  Exton, PA 19341
Bentley AutoPIPE Created by:
Mike Dattilio
Tel: (610) 458-5000, www.Bentley.com

Method #2

The 2nd method has the following attributes.

 Similar methodology as Method 1

 Does not have the limitations of Method 1 of having to define a spring stiffness to obtain the exact
moments and rotations at the centre of the flexible joint

Please read the attached document (New Victaulic Modeling Method-2a.pdf) for complete information on this
method of modeling a Victaulic fitting.

Basic type of construction:

 Similar methodology as Method 1, but with different values based on coupling geometry and
movement.